Colleagues,
Cultivating a thriving WKU community that includes our students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and partners remains critical to the success of our university and our Hilltoppers. During Faculty and Staff Convocation last month, I stressed the importance of togetherness because the connections we establish with one another and across our campus strengthen our community.
During the last five years, we made significant changes to our first-year student experience, beginning with M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan, to ensure that our newest Hilltoppers feel a strong sense of belonging from their first day on our Hill. We launched Topper Fest so our Hilltopper Family could gather to celebrate the beginning of the academic year. And we continue our work to create physical spaces on campus conducive to collaboration and community building.
As we begin our fifth week of the semester, we have new opportunities to support our students and to gather as a community as they share their artistic and creative endeavors. Our theater and dance programs create several productions each semester; our music ensembles perform regularly through the term; and our art department routinely curates exhibitions of our students’ work. Our students have shared consistently how meaningful it is for them when faculty and staff show up to support them as audience members.
